Systems and methods for using tokenized and dynamic physical checks

ABSTRACT

Embodiments are described herein for systems and methods for authenticating tokenized and/or dynamic physical checks, and authorizing transfers of funds in response to the authentication. In particular, in certain embodiments, a method includes identifying, using at least one processor, a dynamic authentication code of a physical check. The method also includes automatically authenticating, using the at least one processor, the physical check based at least in part on the identified dynamic authentication code. The method further includes automatically authorizing, using the at least one processor, a transfer of funds in response to the authentication of the physical check.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present disclosure is related to, and claims priority to, U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/018,240, titled “Systems andMethods for Using Tokenized and Dynamic Physical Checks,” which wasfiled on Apr. 30, 2020, and which is herein incorporated by reference inits entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods forauthenticating tokenized and/or dynamic physical checks.

Checks typically provide a safe and convenient method for an individualsuch as a payor to transfer funds to a payee. To use a check, theindividual usually opens a checking account, or other similar account,at a financial institution and deposits funds, which are then availablefor later withdrawal. To transfer funds with a check, the payor usuallydesignates a payee and an amount payable on the check. In addition, thepayor often signs the check. Once the check has been signed, it isusually deemed negotiable, meaning the check may be validly transferredto the payee upon delivery. By signing and transferring the check to thepayee, the payor authorizes funds to be withdrawn from the payor'saccount on behalf of the payee. Certain types of checks are backed bythe issuing bank. Accordingly, they may be preferred for transactions inwhich the payor/payee wish to have additional levels of protection.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects ofart that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure,which are described below. This discussion is believed to be helpful inproviding the reader with background information to facilitate a betterunderstanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure.Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to beread in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods forauthenticating tokenized and/or dynamic physical checks, and authorizingtransfers of funds in response to the authentication. In particular, incertain embodiments, a method includes identifying, using at least oneprocessor, a dynamic authentication code of a physical check. The methodalso includes automatically authenticating, using the at least oneprocessor, the physical check based at least in part on the identifieddynamic authentication code. The method further includes automaticallyauthorizing, using the at least one processor, a transfer of funds inresponse to the authentication of the physical check.

In addition, in certain embodiments, a physical check includes circuitryconfigured to be activated to activate a dynamic authentication code ofthe physical check. The dynamic authentication code comprises a singleuse tokenized version of an account number associated with the physicalcheck. In addition, the dynamic authentication code is configured touniquely identify the physical check and to authorize a transfer offunds in response to authentication of the physical check based at leastin part on the dynamic authentication code.

In addition, in certain embodiments, a physical check authenticationsystem includes a physical check having a display device and circuitry.The circuitry is configured to initiate display of a dynamicauthentication code via the display device in response to activation ofthe circuitry. In addition, the physical check authentication systemincludes an authenticator that includes at least one processorconfigured to read the dynamic authentication code from the displaydevice, and to authorize a transfer of funds in response toauthentication based on the authentication code.

It is appreciated that implementations in accordance with the presentdisclosure can include any combination of the aspects and featuresdescribed herein. That is, implementations in accordance with thepresent disclosure are not limited to the combinations of aspects andfeatures specifically described herein, but also include any otherappropriate combinations of the aspects and features provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentdisclosure will become better understood when the following detaileddescription is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in whichlike characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an operating environment in whichphysical checks having tokenized and/or dynamic authentication codes maybe utilized, in accordance with embodiments described herein;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the operating environment of FIG. 1 ,in accordance with embodiments described herein;

FIG. 3 illustrates a physical check that has a deactivated tokenizedand/or dynamic authentication code, in accordance with embodimentsdescribed herein;

FIG. 4 illustrates a physical check that has an activated tokenizedand/or dynamic authentication code, in accordance with embodimentsdescribed herein;

FIG. 5 illustrates a physical check that has an activated tokenizedand/or dynamic authentication code having color coding applied to it, inaccordance with embodiments described herein;

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a physical check before and after,respectively, a wet sponge has been applied to the physical check, inaccordance with embodiments described herein;

FIG. 7 illustrates a computing device wirelessly transmitting a controlsignal to circuitry of a physical check to activate a battery of thephysical check, in accordance with embodiments described herein;

FIG. 8 illustrates a computing device wirelessly transferring inductanceto a battery of a physical check to activate the battery when thecomputing device is brought into close proximity to the physical check,in accordance with embodiments described herein;

FIG. 9 illustrates a physical check destroying a display device of thephysical check in response to an invalid attempt to transfer funds usingthe physical check, in accordance with embodiments described herein; and

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a method of authenticating and authorizinga physical check using a check processing system, in accordance withembodiments described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more specific embodiments will be described below. In an effortto provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all featuresof an actual implementation are described in the specification. Itshould be appreciated that in the development of any such actualimplementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerousimplementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve thedevelopers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related andbusiness-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation toanother. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a developmenteffort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be aroutine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those ofordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the presentdisclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean thatthere are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,”“including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean thatthere may be additional elements other than the listed elements.Additionally, it should be understood that references to “oneembodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are notintended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additionalembodiments that also incorporate the recited features.

As used herein, the terms “automatic” and “automatically” may refer toactions that are performed by a computing device or computing system(e.g., of one or more computing devices) without human intervention. Forexample, automatically performed functions may be performed by computingdevices or systems based solely on data stored on and/or received by thecomputing devices or systems despite the fact that no human users haveprompted the computing devices or systems to perform such functions. Asbut one non-limiting example, the computing devices or systems may makedecisions and/or initiate other functions based solely on the decisionsmade by the computing devices or systems, regardless of any other inputsrelating to the decisions.

As used herein, the terms “real time” and substantially real time” mayrefer to actions that are performed substantially simultaneously withother actions, without any human-perceptible delay between the actions.For example, two functions performed in substantially real time occurwithin seconds (or even within milliseconds) of each other. As but onenon-limiting example, two functions performed in substantially real timeoccur within 1 second, within 0.1 second, within 0.01 second, and soforth, of each other.

As used herein, the term “application” may refer to one or morecomputing modules, programs, processes, workloads, threads, and/orcomputing instructions executed by a computing system. Exampleembodiments of an application include software modules, softwareobjects, software instances, and/or other types of executable code.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate tosystems and methods for authenticating tokenized and/or dynamic physicalchecks, and authorizing transfers of funds in response to theauthentication. In particular, physical checks may include tokenizedand/or dynamic authentication codes that may be automaticallyauthenticated by a check processing system. In certain embodiments, thetokenized and/or dynamic authentication codes of the physical checks maybe single use, tokenized versions of account numbers associated with thephysical checks. In addition, in certain embodiments, the tokenizedand/or dynamic authentication codes may be activated by activatingcircuitry of the physical checks, thereby causing the tokenized and/ordynamic authentication codes to become visible (e.g., by activating adisplay device of the circuitry) and, in certain embodiments, activatingcolor coding by, for example, making the tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication codes glow with appropriate colors. For example, incertain embodiments, the circuitry of the physical checks may beactivated based at least in part on moisture applied to a battery of thephysical checks.

In other embodiments, the circuitry of the physical checks may beactivated based at least in part on a control signal received from acomputing device, for example, when a physical check is paired with thecomputing device. Indeed, in certain embodiments, the tokenized and/ordynamic authentication code for a particular physical check may begenerated via software (e.g., application) being executed on a computingdevice that has activated the particular physical check. In addition, incertain embodiments, the circuitry of the physical checks may beactivated and/or deactivated by inductance provided to and/ordiscontinued from the circuitry of the physical checks by the computingdevice. In addition, in certain embodiments, a display device of thephysical checks may be destroyed in response to an invalid attempt toactivate tokenized and/or dynamic authentication codes associated withthe physical checks.

In addition, in certain embodiments, the tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication codes may be deactivated after a predetermined period oftime by deactivating the circuitry of the physical checks, therebycausing the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication codes to becomeinvisible (e.g., by deactivating a display device of the circuitry). Forexample, in certain embodiments, the circuitry of the physical checksmay be deactivated when a battery of the physical checks that activatethe circuitry runs out of power.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an operating environment 10 (e.g., aphysical check authentication system) in which some embodiments of thepresent disclosure may be utilized. The embodiments of the presentdisclosure illustrated in FIG. 1 allow user interactions through variouspoints of interaction such as, but not limited to, dedicated terminals12, ATM networks 14, mobile devices 16, personal computers 18, point ofsale (POS) devices 20, and image capture devices 22 that may be used todetect (e.g., capture images of) tokenized and/or dynamic authenticationcodes 24 of the physical checks 26. In certain embodiments, these pointsof interaction may include mechanisms for capturing images (e.g., acamera) and connecting through a communication network 28 to a bankingnetwork 30, and may run one or more applications or clients that allow auser to interact with the banking network (e.g., by submitting an imageof a physical check 26 for processing). Such applications may provideaccess to electronic image check processing systems and interfaces alongwith traditional banking functionality such as withdrawals, balanceinquiries, deposits, transfers, and so forth. In certain embodiments, anapplication (e.g., a mobile device application) may be self-verifyingsuch that, when no network connectivity is available, authentication ofa tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 of a physical check 26is possible via stored or local features of the application. As usedherein, the term “physical check” may refer to a written order onphysical media (e.g., paper) to a financial institution (e.g., a bank)to pay a specified sum of money, as indicated on the physical check 26,to a specified payee from a specified payor, also indicated on thephysical check 26.

In addition, as used herein, the term “tokenized authentication code”may refer to an authentication code 24 of a physical check 26 thatfunctions as a token to uniquely identify the physical check 26, whereinthe authentication code 24 is uniquely associated with a particular user(e.g., bona fide holder of the physical check 26) and/or may be usablefor a predetermined period of time, for example, expiring after thepredetermined period of time. In addition, as used herein, the term“predetermined period of time” may refer to a period of time that is set(e.g., determined) prior to authentication of the physical check 26and/or prior to authorization of a transfer of funds in accordance withinformation (e.g., check number, payor name and address, payee name,transfer amount, date, and so forth) presented on the physical check 26.

In addition, as used herein, the term “dynamic authentication code” mayrefer to an authentication code 24 of a physical check 26 that maychange over time, for example, change values, change colors, becomevisible or otherwise observable for a period of time and then becomeinvisible or otherwise not observable after the period of time, and soforth. Indeed, as described in greater detail herein, a dynamicauthentication code 24 may change values, colors, visibility, and soforth, at a relatively high frequency (e.g., greater than once persecond, greater than 3 times per second, greater than 5 times persecond, greater than 10 times per second, greater than 20 times persecond, greater than 30 times per second, or even more) in substantiallyreal time such that a human observing the dynamic authentication code 24may not be able to perceive (and/or act upon) any particular state(e.g., value, color, visibility, and so forth) of the dynamicauthentication code 24 at any given time, whereas the devices describedherein are able to perceive and act upon the dynamic authentication code24. It will be appreciated that, in certain embodiments, anauthentication code 24 of a physical check 26 may be both tokenized anddynamic. In addition, in certain embodiments, the tokenized and/ordynamic authentication code 24 of a physical check 26 may be encryptedin a format that may be decrypted by a check processing system 34, asdescribed in greater detail herein. It will be appreciated thatcapturing images of (e.g., scanning) of tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication codes 24 that change at relatively high frequencies insubstantially real time enhances the ability to implementencryption/decryptions routines, for example, insofar as encrypteddynamic values of the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication codes 24at any particular time may not be human-perceptible. Rather, only thedevices described herein may be able to perceive and decrypt theencrypted dynamic values as they change in substantially real time. Forexample, in certain embodiments, an encrypted value of interest may onlybe determined based on multiple values of a tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication code 24 as it changes over time.

In certain embodiments, dedicated terminals 12 such as publicterminals/kiosks may be computers available to the public and/orspecially designed kiosks that interact with the banking network 30. Inaddition, in certain embodiments, ATM networks 14 may be any set of ATMsin an interbank ATM network and/or intrabank ATM network. In addition,in certain embodiments, mobile devices 16 may be cellular phones, smartphones (a smart phone being a cellular phone that has capabilities andfeatures such as, but not limited to, internet access, a full keyboard,email access, Wi-Fi connection capabilities, BLUETOOTH connectivity, orany other functionality of a computer), tablet computers (a portablecomputer having a touch interface), wearable computing devices such assmart glasses, smart watches, and so forth. In addition, in certainembodiments, personal computers 18 may be any computer (e.g., desktopcomputers, laptop computers, netbooks, tablet computers,Internet-enabled television devices, etc.) configured to communicate viathe communication network 28. In addition, in certain embodiments, POSdevices 20 may be any device used as a checkout for a merchant. Forexample, a POS device 20 may be a terminal located at the merchant, acomputer-based interface such as a webpage or custom application, atelephone payment system, among others. In addition, in certainembodiments, image capture devices 22 may be any device (e.g., camera,scanner, and so forth) capable of capturing an image of the physicalcheck 26 and communicating with the communication network 28. Ingeneral, each of the devices 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 illustrated in FIG.1 may be referred to as computing devices 32 that may be configured todetect (e.g., capture images of) tokenized and/or dynamic authenticationcodes 24 of the physical checks 26, and communicate these tokenizedand/or dynamic authentication codes 24 to a check processing system 34(e.g., of the banking system 30) via the communication network 28 forthe purpose of automatically authenticating physical checks 26associated with the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication codes 24, inturn, for the purpose of automatically authorizing transfers of funds inresponse to the authentication, as illustrated in FIG. 2 .

Returning to FIG. 1 , in certain embodiments, the banking network 30 mayinclude any number of membership organizations, banks, credit unions, orother financial institutions. In certain embodiments, the bankingnetwork 30 may use a variety of interaction methods, protocols, andsystems. For example, in certain embodiments, the banking network 30 mayuse any of the automated clearing house (ACH) networks. For example, anACH network may be operated by NACHA (previously referred to as theNational Automated Clearing House Association), whereas another ACHnetwork may be the Electronic Payments Network (EPN). These ACH networksmay interact to settle ACH transactions involving a party that has arelationship with only NACHA's ACH network or only the EPN. In otherembodiments, other banking networks 30, such as CIRRUS, NYCE, and PULSEmay also be used.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 , in certain embodiments, the banking network30 may be communicatively coupled to one or more databases such as afinancial account database 36 and a member database 38. These databases36, 38 may have a variety of information that can be utilized by thecheck processing system 34 described herein. For example, in certainembodiments, the financial account database 36 may include accountinformation for members of a financial institution. In addition, incertain embodiments, the member database 38 may store information aboutmembers (or customers) of a membership organization (or financialinstitution). For example, in certain embodiments, the membershipdatabase 38 may include information such as employer, total balance ofall accounts held at the membership organization, credit ratings, homeownership information, annual salary, length of membership, and/or otherinformation. In certain embodiments, these databases 36, 38 may beintegrated into a single database. In certain embodiments, a computersystem associated with a membership organization, a bank, a creditunion, or other financial institution within banking network 30 may beable to access these (and other) databases 36, 38 for accountinformation, customer information, and other stored information.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the operating environment 10 (e.g., aphysical check authentication system) of FIG. 1 . As illustrated in FIG.2 , a computing device 32 (e.g., a dedicated terminal 12, an ATM network14, a mobile device 16, a personal computer 18, a POS device 20, or animage capture device 22 of FIG. 1 ) may be used to detect (e.g., capturean image of) a tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 of aphysical check 26, and may communicate with a check processing system 34(e.g., of the banking network 30 of FIG. 1 ) via a communication network28) for the purpose of automatically authenticating the physical check26 associated with the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24,in turn, for the purpose of automatically authorizing transfers of fundsin response to the authentication.

As described in greater detail herein, in certain embodiments, thetokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 of the physical check 26may be a single use, tokenized version of an account number (e.g.,relating to a user of a banking network 30) associated with the physicalcheck 26. For example, when read (e.g., scanned) by a computing device32 (e.g., a dedicated terminal 12, an ATM network 14, a mobile device16, a personal computer 18, a POS device 20, or an image capture device22 of FIG. 1 ), the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 mayfacilitate communication with the check processing system 34. However,since the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 is a singleuse, tokenized version of an account number associated with the physicalcheck 26, only a single financial institution (e.g., banking network 30)would be able to access the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code24, thereby preventing any other entities from copying the physicalcheck 26 in the future. For example, if another entity attempted to copythe tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 in the future, itwould not work. In other words, each physical check 26 having atokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 would be unique, andonly assigned an appropriate meaning/value when properly read based oncorrelated data. Indeed, as described in greater detail herein, incertain embodiments, once read (e.g., scanned) by a computing device 32,the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 may be deactivatedsuch that the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 may nolonger be observable, much less usable. In certain embodiments, thetokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 may take the form of aquick response (QR) code that may be read by any of the computingdevices 32 illustrated in FIG. 1 .

As illustrated in FIG. 2 , in certain embodiments, the physical check 26may include circuitry 40 configured to activate its associated tokenizedand/or dynamic authentication code 24. For example, in certainembodiments, the circuitry 40 of the physical check 26 may include arelatively low-power display device 42 (e.g., an organic light-emittingdiode (OLED), electronic paper utilizing electronic ink, and so forth)that may be powered by a relatively low-power battery 44 to display thetokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 (i.e., to make thetokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 visible on the physicalcheck 26). In certain embodiments, the physical check 26 may includechargers for maintaining power in the low-power battery 44. Suchchargers may include piezoelectric substrates, solar cells, and thelike, which may be communicatively coupled to or integral with thelow-power battery 44. Indeed, the illustrated low-power battery 44 mayrepresent one or more batteries and chargers.

For example, FIG. 3 illustrates a physical check 26 that has adeactivated tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 (i.e.,before the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 has beenactivated). Once the battery 44 becomes powered, the battery 44 mayprovide power to the display device 42, thereby enabling the displaydevice 42 to display the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code24, as illustrated in FIG. 4 . Conversely, once power is removed fromthe battery 44, the display device 42 may become deactivated, therebycausing the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 to disappear(e.g., to make the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24invisible on the physical check 26), as illustrated in FIG. 3 .

In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 5 , in certain embodiments, colorcoding 46 of the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 may beactivated (e.g., displayed) by the display device 42. For example, incertain embodiments, the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24may be caused to glow green when an appropriate relationship isestablished with a computing device 32, and may be caused to glow redwhen an invalid attempt to activate the physical check 26 is performedvia a computing device 32, as described in greater detail herein. Inother words, when a user of the computing device 32 is properlyauthenticated with respect to a physical check 26 (e.g., by the checkprocessing system 34), a control signal may be sent from the computingdevice 32 to the circuitry 40 of the physical check 26 to cause thetokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 of the physical check 26to glow green. Conversely, if a user of the computing device 32 isdetermined to not be properly authenticated with respect to the physicalcheck 26 (e.g., by the check processing system 34), a control signal maybe sent from the computing device 32 to the circuitry 40 of the physicalcheck 26 to cause the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 ofthe physical check 26 to glow red.

The battery 44 of the circuitry 40 of the physical check 26 may beactivated in various ways. In certain embodiments, the battery 44 may bea moisture-activated (e.g., water-activated) battery configured to beactivated by the application of moisture, such as saliva, moistureapplied by a wet sponge, and so forth. For example, FIGS. 6A and 6Billustrate a physical check 26 before and after, respectively, a wetsponge 74 has been applied to the physical check 26. As illustrated, themoisture from wet sponge 74 may activate a water-activated battery 44 ofthe circuitry 40 of the physical check 26, the power from which enablesthe display device 42 of the physical check 26 to display the tokenizedand/or dynamic authentication code 24 of the physical check 26. It willbe appreciated that, in certain embodiments, once the moisture appliedby the wet sponge 74 has dried, the water-activated battery 44 of thecircuitry 40 of the physical check 26 may be deactivated, therebydeactivating (e.g., cease displaying) the tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication code 24 of the physical check 26. In addition, in certainembodiments, rather than activating a battery 44 of the physical check26 to, in turn, activate a display device 42 of the physical check 26,the wet sponge 74 may instead be used to cause the tokenized and/ordynamic authentication code 24 to change from an invisible color (e.g.,white against a white physical medium of the physical check 26) to avisible color (e.g., black against the white physical medium of thephysical check 26).

However, in other embodiments, the battery 44 may be activated by acontrol signal received from a computing device 32 via a receiver 48 ofthe circuitry 40 of the physical check 26. For example, in certainembodiments, when a physical check 26 is paired with a particularcomputing device 32 (e.g., when an authenticated user accesses thecomputing device 32), a control signal may be sent wirelessly fromcommunication circuitry 50 of the computing device 32 to the receiver 48of the circuitry 40 of the physical check 26 to activate the battery 44.For example, FIG. 7 illustrates a computing device 32 wirelesslytransmitting a control signal 76 to circuitry 40 of a physical check 26to activate the battery 44 of the physical check 26 (e.g., to activate atokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 of the physical check26). As described in greater detail herein, in certain embodiments, acontrol signal 76 may also be wirelessly transmitted from a computingdevice 32 to circuitry 40 of a physical check 26 to deactivate thebattery 44 of the physical check 26 (e.g., to deactivate a tokenizedand/or dynamic authentication code 24 of the physical check 26).

In certain embodiments, the battery 44 may be activated by inductancethat is wirelessly provided by a computing device 32 to a physical check26 having the battery 44. For example, in certain embodiments, when aphysical check 26 is brought into close proximity to (e.g., within a fewinches of) a particular computing device 32, inductance 78 may bewirelessly transferred from the computing device 32 to a battery 44 ofthe physical check 26 to activate the battery 44. For example, FIG. 8illustrates a computing device 32 wirelessly transferring inductance toa battery 44 of a physical check 26 to activate the battery 44 (e.g., toactivate a tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 of thephysical check 26) when the computing device 32 is brought into closeproximity to the physical check 26. As described in greater detailherein, in certain embodiments, the wireless transfer of inductance 78may cease when the computing device 32 is moved away from the closeproximity to the physical check 26, thereby deactivating the battery 44of the physical check 26 (e.g., to deactivate a tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication code 24 of the physical check 26).

In addition, in certain embodiments, the display devices 42 of thephysical checks 26 may be destroyed in response to an invalid attempt toactivate tokenized and/or dynamic authentication codes 24 associatedwith the physical checks 26. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9 , incertain embodiments, in response to a computing device 32 and/or thecheck processing system 34 determining that an invalid attempt (e.g.,unauthorized access) to transfer funds using a particular physical check26 has been made, the computing device 32 and/or the check processingsystem 34 may wirelessly send a control signal 80 to the particularphysical check 26 to apply an amount of power 82 from the battery 44 ofthe physical check 26 to the display device 42 of the physical check 26that causes the display device 42 to become unusable (e.g., byincreasing heat applied to the display device 42 (and/or to anelectrical connection, such as a fuse wire connecting the battery 44 tothe display device 42) due to excessive current and/or voltage appliedby the battery 44).

To enhance the single-use nature of the tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication code 24 of the physical check 26, in certain embodiments,the battery 44 that is used to power the display device 42 to displaythe tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 may be configured toonly stay powered for a relatively brief predetermined period of time(e.g., 30 minutes, 15 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, or even less),after which the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 may bedeactivated (e.g., reverting to the state illustrated in FIG. 3 ). Incertain embodiments, the relatively brief predetermined period of timethat the battery 44 may remain powered may be simply determined based onthe life of the battery 44. For example, in certain embodiments, thebattery 44 may be configured to run out of power after the relativelybrief predetermined period of time has elapsed. However, in otherembodiments, the battery 44 may be deactivated by a control signalreceived from the computing device 32 and/or the check processing system34 via the receiver 48 of the circuitry 40 of the physical check 26. Inaddition, in embodiments where the battery 44 is powered by inductance78 provided by the computing device 32 (see FIG. 8 ), the battery 44 maybe deactivated by the computing device 32 discontinuing provision of theinductance 78.

As described herein, in certain embodiments, a computing device 32 maybe configured to activate the tokenized and/or dynamic authenticationcode 24 of the physical check 26. For example, in certain embodiments,the computing device 32 may include at least one processor 52 configuredto execute instructions 54 stored in at least one memory medium 56 ofthe computing device 32, wherein the instructions 54, when executed bythe at least one processor 52, cause the computing device 32 to performthe functions described herein. For example, in certain embodiments, thecomputing device 32 may be configured to execute software (e.g., one ormore application(s) 58) to activate/deactivate the tokenized and/ordynamic authentication code 24 of the physical check 26 and/or to scanthe tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 of the physicalcheck 26, as described in greater detail herein. Indeed, in certainembodiments, the computing device 32 may determine the tokenized and/ordynamic authentication code 24 for a particular physical check 26 usingan application 58 being executed on the computing device 32. Asillustrated, in certain embodiments, the computing device 32 may includea display device 60 and one or more input(s) 62 configured to facilitatea user of the computing device 32 to interact with the computing device32 to facilitate the functionality described herein.

While the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 of thephysical check 26 is activated, any one of the computing devices 32and/or check processing systems 34 illustrated in FIG. 2 , regardless ofwhether they are the particular computing device 32 and/or checkprocessing system 34 that activated the tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication code 24, may be configured to detect (e.g., capture animage of) the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 for thepurpose of automatically authenticating the physical check 26 thatincludes the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24. Forexample, in certain embodiments, a computing device 32 may include acamera device 64 configured to capture an image of (e.g., scan) atokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 of a physical check 26,and may communicate the captured image of the tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication code 24 of the physical check 26 to communicationcircuitry 66 of the check processing system 34 (e.g., of the bankingsystem 30) via the communication network 28.

As described herein, in certain embodiments, the tokenized and/ordynamic authentication code 24 of the physical check 26 may changevalues, colors, visibility, and so forth, at a relatively high frequency(e.g., greater than once per second, greater than 3 times per second,greater than 5 times per second, greater than 10 times per second,greater than 20 times per second, greater than 30 times per second, oreven more) in substantially real time such that a human observing thetokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 may not be able toperceive (and/or act upon) any particular state (e.g., value, color,visibility, and so forth) of the tokenized and/or dynamic authenticationcode 24 at any given time. However, in contrast, the camera device 64may be configured to capture images of the tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication code 24 at such frequencies (or even higher frequencies)such that the computing devices 32 and/or check processing systems 34illustrated in FIG. 2 may identify the tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication code 24 as it changes over time, and may use the dynamicversions of the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 toautomatically authenticate the physical check 26, as described ingreater detail herein.

For example, as described herein, in certain embodiments, the checkprocessing system 34 may be configured to automatically authenticate thephysical check 26 based on the tokenized and/or dynamic authenticationcode 24 associated with the physical check 26, an image of which isreceived from a computing device 32. For example, in certainembodiments, the check processing system 34 may include at least oneprocessor 68 configured to execute instructions 70 stored in at leastone memory medium 72 of the check processing system 34, wherein theinstructions 70, when executed by the at least one processor 68, causethe check processing system 34 to perform the functions describedherein. For example, in certain embodiments, the instructions 70, whenexecuted by the at least one processor 68, cause the check processingsystem 34 to identify a tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24of a physical check 26 (e.g., based on the image of the tokenized and/ordynamic authentication code 24 captured by a computing device 32), toautomatically authenticate the physical check 26 based at least in parton the identified tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24, andto automatically authorize a transfer of funds in response to theauthentication of the physical check 26.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a method 82 of authenticating andauthorizing a physical check 26 using the check processing system 34illustrated in FIG. 2 . As illustrated in FIG. 10 , in certainembodiments, the method 84 includes identifying, using at least oneprocessor 68 of the check processing system 34, a tokenized and/ordynamic authentication code 24 of the physical check 26 (block 86). Inaddition, in certain embodiments, the method 84 includes automaticallyauthenticating, using the at least one processor 68 of the checkprocessing system 34, the physical check 26 based at least in part onthe identified tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 (block88). In addition, in certain embodiments, the method 84 includesautomatically authorizing, using the at least one processor 68 of thecheck processing system 34, a transfer of funds in response to theauthentication of the physical check 26 (block 90). As described ingreater detail herein, in certain embodiments, the tokenized and/ordynamic authentication code 24 includes a single use tokenized versionof an account number associated with the physical check 26.

In certain embodiments, activating the tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication code 24 includes activating circuitry 40 of the physicalcheck 26. In certain embodiments, the circuitry 40 of the physical check26 may be activated based at least in part on moisture applied to abattery 40 of the physical check 26 (see FIGS. 6A and 6B). In addition,in certain embodiments, activating the tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication code 24 includes displaying the tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication code 24 via a display device 42 of the physical check 26.In addition, in certain embodiments, activating the tokenized and/ordynamic authentication code 24 includes activating color coding of thetokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 using the circuitry 40of the physical check 26.

In addition, in certain embodiments, the method 82 may optionallyinclude activating the circuitry 40 of the physical check 26 based atleast in part on a control signal received from a computing device 32.In addition, in certain embodiments, the tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication code 24 may be determined by an application 58 executedby the computing device 32. In addition, in certain embodiments, themethod 82 may optionally include activating the tokenized and/or dynamicauthentication code 24 by providing inductance 78 to the circuitry 40 ofthe physical check 26 from the computing device 32, and deactivating thetokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 by discontinuing theinductance 78 provided to the circuitry 40 of the physical check 26 fromthe computing device 32 (see FIG. 8 ). In addition, in certainembodiments, activating the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code24 may include sending a control signal 76 from the computing device 32to the circuitry 40 of the physical check 26 to cause the tokenizedand/or dynamic authentication code 24 to become visible (see FIG. 7 ).

In addition, in certain embodiments, the method 82 may optionallyinclude deactivating the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24by deactivating the circuitry 40 of the physical check 26 after apredetermined period of time. In certain embodiments, the predeterminedperiod of time may be determined by a life of a battery 44 of thephysical check 26, which activates the circuitry 40 of the physicalcheck 26. In addition, in certain embodiments, deactivating thetokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 includes causing thetokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 to become invisible. Inaddition, in certain embodiments, deactivating the tokenized and/ordynamic authentication code 24 includes causing a display device 42displaying the tokenized and/or dynamic authentication code 24 to becomeunusable (see FIG. 9 ).

While the embodiments set forth in the present disclosure may besusceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specificembodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and havebeen described in detail herein. However, it should be understood thatthe disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular formsdisclosed. The disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents,and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosureas defined by the following appended claims.

The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and appliedto material objects and concrete examples of a practical nature thatdemonstrably improve the present technical field and, as such, are notabstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, if any claimsappended to the end of this specification contain one or more elementsdesignated as “means for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ” or “step for[perform]ing [a function] . . . ”, it is intended that such elements areto be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). However, for any claimscontaining elements designated in any other manner, it is intended thatsuch elements are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f).

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: identifying, using atleast one processor, a dynamic authentication code of a physical check,wherein the dynamic authentication code comprises a single use tokenizedversion of an account number associated with the physical check;automatically authenticating, using the at least one processor, thephysical check based at least in part on the identified dynamicauthentication code; and automatically authorizing, using the at leastone processor, a transfer of funds in response to the authentication ofthe physical check.
 2. The method of claim 1, comprising activating thedynamic authentication code by activating circuitry of the physicalcheck.
 3. The method of claim 2, comprising deactivating the dynamicauthentication code by deactivating the circuitry of the physical checkafter a period of time.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein deactivatingthe dynamic authentication code comprises causing the dynamicauthentication code to become invisible.
 5. The method of claim 3,wherein the period of time is determined by a life of a battery of thephysical check that activates the circuitry of the physical check. 6.The method of claim 2, comprising activating the circuitry of thephysical check based at least in part on moisture applied to a batteryof the physical check.
 7. The method of claim 2, wherein activating thedynamic authentication code comprises displaying the dynamicauthentication code via a display device of the physical check.
 8. Themethod of claim 2, comprising activating color coding of the dynamicauthentication code using the circuitry of the physical check.
 9. Themethod of claim 2, comprising activating the circuitry of the physicalcheck based at least in part on a control signal received from acomputing device.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the dynamicauthentication code is determined using an application executed by thecomputing device.
 11. The method of claim 9, comprising: activating thedynamic authentication code by providing inductance to the circuitry ofthe physical check from the computing device; and deactivating thedynamic authentication code by discontinuing the induction provided tothe circuitry of the physical check from the computing device.
 12. Themethod of claim 9, wherein activating the dynamic authentication codecomprises sending a control signal from the computing device to thecircuitry of the physical check to cause the dynamic authentication codeto become visible.
 13. The method of claim 9, comprising destroying adisplay device of the physical check in response to an invalid attemptto activate the dynamic authentication code using the computing device.14. A physical check, comprising: circuitry configured to be activatedto activate a dynamic authentication code of the physical check, whereinthe dynamic authentication code comprises a single use tokenized versionof an account number associated with the physical check, and wherein thedynamic authentication code is configured to uniquely identify thephysical check and is used to authorize a transfer of funds in responseto authentication of the physical check.
 15. The physical check of claim14, wherein the circuitry is configured to be deactivated after a periodof time to deactivate the dynamic authentication code.
 16. The physicalcheck of claim 14, wherein the circuitry of the physical check isconfigured to be activated based at least in part on moisture applied toa battery of the physical check.
 17. The physical check of claim 14,comprising a display device, wherein the circuitry of the physical checkis configured to display the dynamic authentication code via the displaydevice of the physical check.
 18. The physical check of claim 14,wherein the circuitry of the physical check is configured to activatecolor coding of the dynamic authentication code.
 19. A physical checkauthentication system, comprising: a physical check comprising a displaydevice and circuitry, wherein the circuitry is configured to display adynamic authentication code via the display device in response toactivation of the circuitry; and an authenticator comprising at leastone processor configured to read the dynamic authentication code fromthe display device, and to authorize a transfer of funds in response toauthentication of the physical check.
 20. The physical checkauthentication system of claim 19, wherein the dynamic authenticationcode comprises a single use tokenized version of an account numberassociated with the physical check.